Part-time work

It is very common for postgraduate students to work part-time to top up their funding. Some academic schools have their own guidance about the maximum number of hours a week you should work to avoid this impacting negatively on your studies.

Many postgraduates study part-time so that they can work a more substantial number of hours each week alongside their studies.

For detailed information on working, including calculating how many hours a week you might need to work to meet any shortfall in your funding, the minimum wage, income tax, national insurance, where to look for a job and the rules for EU students seethe Part-time and Vacation Work advice guide, which has been written by the Advice and Counselling Service and the QMUL Careers and Enterprise Centre.

I need to reduce my hours of work to start my postgraduate course

If you have been working full-time for several years, you are likely to need to adjust to a much lower level of income once you start your postgraduate course. Even if you get a stipend or other award, this may be much less than the salary you have been used to. You will need to consider how to adjust your spending to reflect your lower level of income. You might find it helpful to use the budgeting resources on the Advice and Counselling Service website. This includes a budget spreadsheet which you can personalise to calculate your own budget, and useful money saving ideas.

Disclaimer:Law, regulations and policies can change quickly. The information on our website is given in good faith and has been carefully checked but QMUL cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions. QMUL is not responsible for the content or reliability of the linked websites which are provided for further information.